This invention relates to the preparation of polyphenyls by hydroalkylation followed by selective dehydrogenation of cyclohexyl benzenes. More particularly this invention relates to the dehydrogenation of products of hydroalkylation under controlled conditions to form desired aromatic hydrocarbons.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, higher molecular weight aromatics, typified by biphenyls and terphenyls may be difficult to prepare in high purity because of their high boiling point which precludes distillation at reasonable temperatures and pressures. Among the techniques used to recover such materials may be noted vacuum distillation, crystallization, etc. It may be difficult to attain these materials in high purity because many techniques by which they may be recovered, give undesirable yields of by-products or require very severe processing conditions.
It is an object of this invention to provide a process for preparing selected aromatic hydrocarbons. It is a further object of this invention to provide a process for hydroalkylating a benzene to a cyclohexyl benzene followed by dehydrogenating the cyclohexyl benzene to form aromatic components and to permit recovery of these aromatic components. Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.